Saturday 17 September 2022

QUEEN ELIZABETH II - LYING-IN-STATE

I watched many hours of the Queen's Lying-in-State on BBC/ITV podcasts. It was most moving. People waited for up to 24 hours in what became known simply as The Queue. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people did an extraordinary thing to honour an extraordinary woman. She was rightly called Elizabeth the Great. The outpouring of profoundly grateful sorrow at her Lying-in-State was a fitting farewell to her. And the tears! Tears enough to fill the Thames. Even strong, hulking men had eyes brimming with tears. Men, women, old and young, boys and girls, soldiers, old soldiers, were filing past, pausing to bow, to curtsy, to kneel, to throw a kiss, to salute, to say 'Thank you, Ma'am.' A glorious mix of people coming together in one place, the magnificent Westminster Hall, to give honour to her who gave such long, glorious, honourable service to us.

Thank you, Ma'am.

God save the King!